Our cats are cherished and beloved companions. As much as we love our furry friends, keeping them happy and healthy indoors can be quite challenging, especially in Australia’s diverse climate. Cats are friendly, graceful, and beautiful, but above all, they’re extremely complicated. Many people choose to keep their cats indoors, as this will keep them away from busy roads, protect them from wildlife, decrease the risk of injuries, and control them from infectious diseases.
Like us, cats experience negative emotions like depression, boredom, and loneliness. But here’s some good news: Cats are not as complicated as humans, so it’s not that difficult to keep them happy. Keeping indoor cats happy is about fulfilling their instincts and keeping them engaged so they can enjoy and live a happy life.
According to the Spring Nature Research communities, Data provided by Prof. Sarah Legge and Prof. John Woinarski on how many mammals are killed by cats in Australia has shown that Australia’s 6.7 million cats (3.9 million pet cats, plus 2.8 million unowned cats) kill a huge number of native mammals each year in Australia: around 460 million. This research highlights the impact of cats on natural wildlife. One major thing we can do to solve this problem is to keep our pet cats indoors. Not only is it better for wildlife, but it’s also better for our cats.
Here Are Our 10 Tips to Keep Your Indoor Cat Happy and Healthy
Ideas to make your cat happy: Here are 10 tips for achieving feline happiness.
1. Keep Them Active With Interactive Toys
Cats are playful by nature, so your time is essential for your cats. Make sure you give time to your feline companion. Keep engaging in play sessions to keep them active, using various toys, different textures, and colours. Throwing a ping pong ball in a bathtub, and so on, to satisfy their instincts and burn energy. Cats need exercise and mental stimulation to remain healthy and happy. So, schedule playtime with your cats in your daily routine. Interactive play with your feline companion for 10-15 minutes daily prevents problematic behaviour and reduces stress for them.
2. Provide a Scratching spot
Cats love to scratch. Scratching is an important behaviour in cats; it’s good for their claws. So, to keep your cat happy, and if you don’t want to get your furniture scratched, it is essential to provide them with cat scratchers. Provide scratching posts for your cats in several locations to mark territory, Sharpen claws, and improve muscles. According to Dr Whitfield, most cats prefer vertical surfaces, and they want surfaces to be something they can dig their claws. Scratching Spot, like sisal, rope, carpeting, tall posts, or cardboard. So that your cat can happily scratch as much as they feel like.
3. Keep their environment clean
our furry companions are naturally picky and love neat and clean spaces as they spend most of their time grooming themselves. A clean and tidy environment provides them with a sense of security and comfort, allowing them to relax and enjoy their surroundings. You may also have noticed they appreciate clean spaces, so it’s important to keep their environment clean. Providing a clean living area for your furry companion helps their innate need for cleanliness and contributes to their happiness and well-being.
4. Grow Cat-Safe Grass
Cats do love to graze on grass! It helps them remove hairballs, add nutrients, or enhance fiber intake. If your cat is not spending time outside, he will not be interacting with grass. Close the gap by growing your cat grass indoors. Cat- grass and catnip can easily grow indoors. According to Dr Whitfield’s research, although cats are carnivores, they can benefit from the vitamins and fiber found in plant material. Furthermore, offering kitty-safe plants may discourage your cats from digging and consuming other houseplants.
5. Add Vertical Space
Cats love high places. They desire to observe their territory from a safe and high vantage point. Providing them with spots like a multi-tiered cat tree, shelves, windowsills, and cat ladders or stairs helps them to reach their elevated areas easily. The vertical space gives them opportunities for exercise and exploration and helps them fulfil their natural instincts to climb and perch, resulting in a happier and more enriched indoor environment.
6. Consider Adopting another cat
Cats are social animals. Most cats appreciate the calm and quietness of being alone. But adding them as a companion can provide them a source of companionship and interaction. They can play, groom, and even cuddle each other, which can help them prevent boredom and loneliness. It also provides mental stimulation for both cats. They can chase each other, wrestle, and engage in other forms of physical activity, which also help them burn off energy and stay fit. So, if you work long hours and have enough space for your feline companion, consider bringing a new feline to your space so that they can keep company with each other.
7. Invest in catio
Cats adore being outdoors, but at the same time, it can be a little risky. So many owners choose to keep them indoors. You can help your cat transition from indoors to outdoors by providing a safe catio place to spend their time outside. Consider purchasing or constructing an outdoor cat netting enclosure. Catios lets your cat spend time outside, and because they are completely contained, you won’t have to worry about your pet exercising its hunting skills on your backyard birds or being injured by predators in your neighbourhood.
8. Go for a walk
While not all cats show interest in the outdoors and won’t be keen on being taken for a walk, some furry companion loves to enjoy outdoor enrichment alongside their human companion. Using a cat harness and leash, you can safely accompany your furry friend during outdoor walks, giving them great outdoor joy. If your cat has a penchant for outdoor exploration, going for a walk can be a great source of happiness for your indoor cats.
9. Chip in for safety
Consider having your cat microchipped for additional insurance and keep your contact information up to date with the microchip registry. If you lose your cat, immediately contact your local animal shelter center to file a report. Shelter workers can give you tips on how to get your pet home safely.
10. Help them stay groomed
Grooming your cats is essential for their overall health and well-being. Regular grooming keeps them sleek and shiny and helps prevent matting and skin issues. Grooming them is great fun; the resident feline will feel like he/she is getting a massage. Grooming your cat regularly helps to maintain a bonding experience, strengthening the trust between you and your feline friend. Also, read our tips to keep your cat cool in summer
11. Love your cat
The final one is simple. You adore your cat, and that affection can be your most effective tool for keeping it happy. Domesticated cats, unlike their wild relatives, seek human attention. Simply paying attention to your indoor cat is often the most efficient method to keep them happy. Snuggle your cat and play with them every day. You’ll be surprised how far a little human care can go to ensure your indoor cat’s well-being.
Final Thoughts
Cats are easy to keep happy once you know and appreciate what makes them tick. No one knows your pet better than you do, so it can take some trial and error to figure out what your indoor cat requires from you to keep you happy and entertained. So, by investing time, attention, and love, you can create a peaceful and lovely environment that promotes your feline companion’s happiness and well-being if you are more concerned about keeping your cat happy indoors and outdoors. A netting enclosure can be the best solution for providing the best outdoor space for your cat. We at Kittysafe would love to help you with cat netting enclosure services for outdoor spaces like backyards, balconies, etc.
